One of the bug bares of every homeowner is removing hair from your shower drain.
Believe it or not, hair blockages are one of the more common causes of a blocked drain. What most people don’t realise is that this problem often has a simple fix and they can easily be remedied without calling up a plumber.
In this article we will give you the most effective ways to clean the hair from your shower drains, and often keep your hands completely clean in the process.
Don’t worry, we will also supply the list of everything you need to get the job done!
Why Is Hair In The Drain A Problem?
Shedding hair in the shower is completely normal. It may actually surprise you how much hair the average person loses, especially those of us that have long, thick locks!
On average people can lose between 150-200 hairs per wash. You may think that this is a huge number to lose. But considering the average person has around 250,000 hairs on their head, losing this amount in a wash is a tiny percentage.
Now where does the problem come in?
Well when these hairs fall out, they have to go somewhere right. They are swept away by the water and flow into the drainhole. Often the hairs will begin to collect together, forming clumps that can collect other bits of grease and dirt. Not only this, but the strands can often get caught on parts of the drainage system, forming blockades that only ever grow in size.
There is a strong likelihood that if your drains are not effectively draining away, hair clumps will be the culprit. But don’t fret, we have compiled the most effective hair removal methods for showerdrains right here.
Follow these methods as soon as you notice a blockage for the best results.
Ways To Remove Hair From Your Drains
Now we are getting down to the main course of this post. For all the below methods, you will likely want to have a sponge and a pair of gloves handy (although these are optional).
The Baking Soda Method
Tools:
- Cup of Baking Soda
- Cup of Vinegar
- Kettle
- Plunger
- Washing Liquid
Method
Your first step is to squirt the washing liquid down the drain. Immediately follow this with the baking soda. Ensure that the entire cup is carefully placed down the drain for the strongest impact.
After this, chase the baking soda down with the vinegar. This will enact a chemical reaction that will result in a fizzing noise. This should last for roughly 5 minutes. That will be long enough for the mixture you concocted to break down the hair.
Follow this up by boiling a cup of water and washing it down the plug. By doing this you will wash down the remaining hair. After, it’s time for the plunger. Plunging brings up the final bits of the blockage and leaves your drains free running again.
Depending on how stubborn the blockage is, this process may need to be repeated a few times to get the best results.
The Plier Method
Tools:
- Needle Nose Pliers
- Screwdriver
- Torch
Method
Our second application requires a bit more elbow grease, but for some blockages this can be a relatively quick and simple way to remove the dirt from your drains.
Firstly, if you have a drain stopper, ensure this is removed. Usually you will need to use a screwdriver to wedge this open, but it should come up with relative ease. Once up, give the stopper a quick rinse to remove any dirt that is attached. Be careful to stop any hair or other clumps of dirt going down your drain though!
It is then a case of using your torch and pliers to pull up any clumps that are visible in the immediate view.
If there are any bits of hair you can’t reach, unravel a coat hanger to scoop these out.
After this, run through some water, replace the stopper, and your drains should be good to go!
The Drain Snake Technique
Tools:
- Screwdriver
- Drainsnake
Method
You likely won’t have a drain snake to hand, so this method may require a small investment (a very worthwhile investment it must be said). You can pick up these tools at most hardware stores such as Screwfix.
This tool is a long flexible pipe with a small barb that will help catch the hairs allowing for easy extraction.
The first step will be to bring up the drain stopper (just like in the previous method with the screwdriver). Then you need to feed the tool through the drain and twist back and forth. Drain snakes can often reach further down the sink than you can see, passing through bends in the pipework.
This action should dislodge any hair clumps, bringing them up once you remove the tool.
After, rinse the drain with water. It may be worth your while performing the first baking soda method in conjunction with a drain snake for the best results.
2 simple ways to avoid hair blockages in your drain
Now to round this article off, it is worth mentioning 2 quick ways that can help you avoid the hair blockages to start with.
- Removing the hair straight away – Ensure that, if you do have long, thick hair, the drains are checked after each wash. This way you can almost nip the problem in the bud, making sure that the hair doesn’t get the chance to clump together and form the blockage
- Invest In A Drain Stopper – Drain stoppers act like mini colanders that sit on top of your plug hole. They will collect the majority of the hair that gets washed down the plug otherwise. Simply clear them regularly and they will make your life far easier. You can buy drain stoppers online on Amazon.
To Conclude
Now armed with these methods, you should be able to tackle any hair blockage in your shower drain, with relative ease.
Should you not be able to solve the blockage yourself, consider hiring an experienced plumber to tackle the more serious blockage. If you live in Essex, give Into Plumbing and Heating a call on 0800 188 4864.
